The Mississippi River Trail is a ten state bike route that will offer over 3000 miles of bicycling adventure. Stretching from the headwaters in Itasca, Minnesota to St. Genevieve, Missouri to New Orleans, Louisiana the MRT will go through portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Each state will have portions of the route that weaves its way down the river into the Crescent City. A description of the Kentucky portion is included below.

 

The Kentucky portion of the Mississippi River Trail begins at the north end of the bridge connecting Cairo, Illinois with Wickliffe, Kentucky. The route follows HWY 51 to HWY 1203, to HWY 123, HWY 239, to HWY 94 to the Tennessee border. The first 5 miles has narrow bridges with fairly heavy traffic. The remainder is over flat to gently rolling country roads with very light traffic. Much of the route is designated a Kentucky Scenic Byway. Limited commercial services are available in Wickliffe, Columbus (which has a great campsite at historic Columbus Belmont State Park), and Hickman (a historic river town).

 

For more information on the MRT contact: Mississippi River Trail, Inc., 858 N. Jackson, Fayetteville, AR 72701, 479-236- 0938, email-teastin@lynks.com or visit the web site at www.mississippirivertrail.org.